Top Independent Comics of 2017 #3: Tales from the Interface #1 by Emmanuel Filteau

Imagine a world where we live our lives frequently in an out of a virtual reality called the Interface. It melds seamlessly with reality, and you can go in and out at your own whims. The worlds you can experience are beyond your wildest dreams.

I’m a big believer in the importance of succinct language in comics given the visual nature of the medium. Generally, brevity is considered the soul of wit, but it’s more prevalent in a medium whose primary distinction from the novel form is the inclusion of graphic art. As such, one of the main qualitites of Tales from the Interface that stood out is how well Emmanuel Filteau is able to tell the story with the art alone and only use dialogue when necessary.

It also plays with the formula of the “highly-advanced virtual reality” story in a very unique manner. It doesn’t feel like a Matrix clone. It has its own ideas. It doesn’t outright write off the VR simulation as inherently bad or meaningless. However, it does own up to its status as a consumer product in its universe and how it can numb the user to reality and its important.

Filteau’s artwork is absolutely gorgeous too. The bizarre and surreal simulations experienced by the protagonist are unique, beautiful, and bizarre all at once. Each panel and section seamlessly slides into the next. Despite how out there and disjointed the various simulations can be, you rarely feel lost and never for more than a moment or two. The colors are vibrant and contrasting, making this an especially colorful experience as well.

Tales from the Interface is an incredibly experience brought to life by a creator who should have a long and successful career in the comics industry. You can purchase it on Emmanuel Filteau’s website should you feel inclined. He also publishes pages weekly there.

Josh is a longtime super hero comic fan and an aspiring comic book and fiction writer himself. He also trades in videogames, Star Wars, and Magic: The Gathering, and he is also a budding film buff. He's always been a huge nerd, and he hopes to contribute something of worth to the wider geek culture conversation. He is also happy to announce that he is the new Reviews Editor for Bleeding Cool. Follow on Twitter @joshdavisonbolt.